Hydrant locking device



July 8, 1969 Sheet Filed Feb. 5, 1964 Q n mmm w j m A MN 0 Ho J. M w s imm W 4 Q Q 3 Nu QM k E vw July 8, 1969 J. N. ADINOLFI HYDRANT LOCKINGDEVICE Filed Feb. 5. 1964 :P Of3 Sheet FIG. 3

FIG. 5

INVENTOR. f0 SEFH /V. AD/A/OLF/ ATTUKA/EYS J. N. ADINOLFI HYDRANTLOCKING DEVICE July 8, 1969 She et Filed Feb. 5, 1964 m T .N m 0; m WWWUnited States Patent US. Cl. 74-8915 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA locking device and a tool in combination for a hydrant having a supplyvalve, a standpipe, a support plate with a central bore over saidstandpipe, a yoke secured to said plate with a bore coaxial with saidplate bore, a bonnet over said yoke with a bore coaxial with said yokebore, said combination comprising an external flange around said bonnetconcentric with the bore therein, a valve-actuating stem passing throughsaid plate bore into said yoke bore, a rotatable rod mounted for axialmovement above and spaced from said stem projecting through said bonnetbore, clutch means in said yoke bore for interengaging said stem andsaid rod, and spring means spacing said rod from said interengagingclutch means in a locked position, whereby applying a force against saidspring means to operate said clutch means interengages said rod and saidstern so that the turning of said rod imparts motion to said stem, and atool having a wrench for engaging said rod, a catch member for slidablyengaging said bonnet flange and an arm for applying leverage againstsaid spring means and for turning said rod.

This invention relates to a locking device for stem operated apparatusand more particularly to a device to prevent tampering with firehydrants and the like.

Fire hydrants are for the purpose of supplying water with which to fightfires in order to protect life and property. The opening of hydrants bypersons unauthorized to do so has been a source of trouble,inconvenience and danger. Such unauthorized opening of hydrants createshazards due to the reduction of water pressure throughout the system andthe flooding of thoroughfares and private property. In certain areas andat certain times of the year, moreover, water supplies tend to runshort, and unauthorized openings result in the unnecessary waste ofwater. Time and money are also lost by the required constantsurveillance to detect and labor to shut off opened hydrants.

It is therefore an object of this invention to alleviate those problems.It is a further object to provide a means for markedly decreasing thefacility with which hydrants can be opened by unauthorized persons.Another object is to provide a device to prevent tampering with valvesand other shaft operated devices and the like. Other objects of theinvention will be in part obvious and in part discussed hereinbelow.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view and shows the upper portion of a hydrant;

FIGURE 2 is an axial section of the hydrant in FIG- URE 1 and shows thelocking device of the invention in the normally inoperative position;

FIGURE 3 is an axial section as in FIGURE 2 and shows the locking devicein the operative position for opening and closing the hydrant;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line 44 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a tool for the operation of a hydranthaving the locking devices of the invention;

FIGURE 6 is an axial section of the interior mechanism of a hydrant andshows another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is an axial section as in FIGURE 6 and shows still anotherembodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal section, along the line 88 of FIGURE 7 andshows additional detail of that device.

FIGURE 1 shows a hydrant 10 generally having a standpipe 12 (partiallyshown) and a bonnet 14 secured thereto, e.g., by bolts and nuts 13. Thebonnet has a flange 16 around its top. Through the bonnet protrudes arod 18 which, because it has a five-sided end, is commonly called apentagon, and which is for opening and closing a valve (not shown)located in the water main at the base of the standpipe 12.

In FIGURES 2 and 3 it can be seen that a support plate 20 is seated onthe top edge of the standpipe 12. Fitted over the plate 20 and thestandpipe end is the bonnet 14 whose lower inner periphery has a recessto accommodate the parts. The center of the support plate has a recessedportion 22 and a bore 24. Seated above and secured to the top of theplate 20 is a yoke 26 having a bore 28 and a threaded recess 30. Theyoke bore 28 and plate bore 24 are coaxial as are their respectiverecesses 30, 22. Through those two bores passes a stem 32 having athreaded upper end 34. The stem 32 passes downwardly from the yoke 26through the plate 20 into the standpipe 12 wherein it is connected to ashaft (not shown) of the valve in the water main and serves to open andshut the valve as will be described below. A packing gland 23 is locatedin the plate recess 22 to compress a packing material around the stem toprevent leakage of water from within the standpipe 12. A bolt 27 or thelike secures the gland 23.

Within the yoke bore 28 and recess 30 is a rotatable collar 36 having aflange 38 resting on the shoulder 40 formed by the recess 30. Theinterior of the collar has threads 42 at the lower end and is enlargedat the upper end to provide a shoulder 44. The upper end of the collarhas a number of indentations which form teeth or cogs 52 at that end fora purpose to be discussed.

Loosely fitted over the upper portion of the collar 36 and screwed intothe threaded recess 3'!) of the yoke is a bushing 46. The bushing has ahexagonal flange 48 which seats on the top edge of the yoke 26. Thelower end of the bushing 46 is closely spaced from the flange 38 of thecollar 36. Thus, the collar 36 is free to rotat within the bushing 46and the bore 28, but its vertical movement is confined by the lower endof the bushing and the shoulder 40 of the yoke recess.

The top of the bonnet 14 has a bore 54 therethrough which is coaxialwith the yoke and plate bores 28 and 24. The pentagon 18 projectsthrough the bonnet bore 54. As mentioned, the pentagon 18 is a rodhaving, customarily, a pentagonal upper end as well as an externalflange 56 about intermediate its ends and a recessed cavity 58 from itslower end longitudinally upward a goodly portion of its length. Inaddition, the lower end of the pentagon has a number of indentations 60which form teeth or cogs 62 that correspond to the cogs 52 of the collar36.

A stifr coil spring 64, desirably requiring a force in the order ofseveral hundred pounds to compress, is located within the pentagoncavity 58 and the enlarged interior portion of the collar 36, and isseated against the end of the cavity 58 and the shoulder 44,respectively, thereof. In the normally inoperative position, as shown inFIG- URE '2, the spring 64 serves to urge the pentagon 18 upwardly awayfrom the collar. The flange 56 on the pentagon limits the upwardmovement by hearing against the underside of the bonnet 14. In thatposition the pentagon can be rotated without operating the hydrantvalve.

To open or shut the hydrant valve, it is necessary to depress thepentagon 18 against the strong resistance of the spring 64 until thepentagons cogs 62 engage the cogs 52 of the collar 36, as shown inFIGURE 3. FIGURE 4 shows a section taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3from which the engagement of the collar cogs 52 and the pentagon cogs 62as well as the spring 64 and the bushing flange 48 can be seen. Thepentagon is then rotated in the appropriate direction and causes thecollar 36 to rotate. Since the vertical movement of the collar islimited, as previously described, and the valve mechanism to which thestem 32 is connected prevents rotation of the stem, when the collar 36is rotated, the collar threads 42 engaging the stern threads 34 causethe stem 32 to move vertically in a direction depending on the directionof rotation of the engaged collar-pentagon. The vertical movement of thestem, directly or indirectly, serves to open and close the valve in thewater supply main.

Other commonly used valve mechanisms require a rotary movement for theiroperation. The means depicted in FIGURE 6 is an embodiment of theinvention adaptable for such valves.

In FIGURE 6, wherein parts corresponding to those shown in FIGURES 2 and3 are identified by like reference numerals, the stem 32 is notthreaded, but rather has a flange 66, a recessed upper end 68 andindentations 69 at the upper end which form teeth or cogs 70corresponding to the cogs 62 of the pentagon 18. The bushing 46 isscrewed into the threaded yoke recess 30 and its lower end serves tolimit vertical movement of the stem 32 by being closely spaced from theflange 66 which rests on the yoke shoulder 40. A stifl spring 64 seatedin the pentagons cavity 58 and the recessed end 68 of the stem separatesthose elements in the normally inoperative position.

For operation, the pentagon is depressed against the strong resistanceof the spring 64 so that the cogs 62 engage the cogs 70 of the stem 32,in similar manner as shown in FIGURE 3, and the pentagon is rotatedcausing the stem 32 to rotate. The vertical movement of the stem islimited, as mentioned, and the rotary movement is transmitted to thevalve mechanism in the main to turn the supply of water to the hydranton and oif.

Another embodiment to transfer rotary motion to the valve, using theelements shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 modified somewhat, is shown in FIGURE7. The collar threads 42 and stem threads 34 are replaced by a key andslot arrangement or, as shown, particularly in section in FIGURE 8, aseries of interengaging splines 72 on the end of the stem 32 and in therecess 74 of the collar 36 so that the stem and collar are lockedtogether in rotary movement. The splines 72, however, are loose enoughto provide a slidable engagement of the stem 32 within the collar 36 topermit vertical movement of the stem 32. Vertical movement of the collaris limited as described in conjunction with FIGURE 2. Upward movement ofthe stem 32 is limited by the end of the splined collar recess 74 anddownward movement of the stem is prevented by a thrust flange 76 thereonbearing against the packing gland 23. Thus, when the pentagon 18 andcollar 36 are engaged, as shown in FIGURE 3, and the pentagon isrotated, the collar rotates and the splines 72 cause the stem 32 torotate to operate the valve. Furthermore, depending on the valvemechanism, the stem is also free to move vertically.

A tool 78 is provided to facilitate the operation of the hydrant. Asshown in FIGURES 3 and 5, the tool comprises an arm secured to a wrench82 having a fivesided interior adapted to fit over the pentagon 18, acatch member 84 is pivoted to the wrench 82 opposite the arm 80 by a pin86. The catch 84 is designed to fit over the bonnet flange 16 and isspaced from the wrench 82 a distance so that when fitted on the bonnet,the wrench will engage the pentagon 18. The wrench 82 and arm 80 are toturn the pentagon and also, because the pentagon must be depressed tooperate the valve, to exert simultaneously a relatively great downwardforce on the pentagon against the pressure of the spring 64. The tool 78is designed to enable an authorized person to perform easily the twooperations necessary to operate the hydrant. This is done by engagingthe catch member 84 on the bonnet flange 16, lowering the wrench 82 overthe pentagon 18, and exerting both downward and rotary forces on the arm80. The arm, of suitable length, gives suflicient leverage for easilyapplying both forces. Without such a tool, it would be very diflicult tooperate the hydrant. It should be apparent that the catch member 84 canbe on the same side of the wrench 82 as the arm 80, and the downwardforce to the pentagon 18 is applied by an upward force on the arm.

It is to be appreciated that the apparatus of the invention can be usedin applications other than in hydrants where a rotary force, directly orindirectly, is used to operate a device and it is desired to make itdifficult or virtually impossible for unauthorized persons to tamper.

I claim:

1. A locking device and a tool in combination for a hydrant having asupply valve, a standpipe, a support plate with a central bore over saidstandpipe, a yoke secured to said plate with a bore coaxial with saidplate bore, a bonnet over said yoke with a bore coaxial with said yokebore, said combination comprising an external flange around said bonnetconcentric with the bore therein, a valve-actuating stem passing throughsaid plate bore into said yoke bore, a rotatable rod mounted for axialmovement above and spaced from said stem projecting through said bonnetbore, clutch means in said yoke bore for interengaging said stern andsaid rod, and spring means spacing said rod from said interengagingclutch means in a locked position, whereby applying a force against saidspring means to operate said clutch means interengages said rod and saidstern so that the turning of said rod imparts motion to said stem, and atool having a wrench for engaging said rod, a catch member for slidablyengaging said bonnet flange and an arm for applying leverage againstsaid spring means and for turning said rod.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said flange is on the topof said bonnet.

3. A locking device and a tool in combination for a hydrant having asupply valve, a standpipe, a support plate with a central bore over saidstandpipe, a yoke secured to said plate with a bore coaxial with saidplate bore and a bonnet over said yoke with a bore coaxial with saidyoke bore, said combination comprising an external flange around saidbonnet concentric with the bore therein, a rotatable collar in said yokebore having internal threads, means to arrest vertical movement of saidcollar, a valve-actuating stern mounted for axial move-ment passingthrough said plate bore and having threads engaged with said collarthreads, a rotatable rod mounted for axial movement above and spacedfrom said collar projecting through said bonnet bore, interengagingmeans on the adjacent faces of said collar and said rod, and springmeans spacing said rod from said collar in a locked position, wherebyapplying a force against said spring means interengages said rod andsaid collar so that turning of said rod turns the collar and saidthreads therein impart axial motion to said stem, and a tool having awrench for engaging said rod, a catch member for slidably engaging saidbonnet flange and an arm for applying leverage against said spring meansand for turning said rod.

4. A locking device and a tool in combination for a hydrant having asupply valve, a standpipe, a support plate With a central bore over saidstandpipe, a yoke secured to said plate with a bore coaxial with saidplate bore and a bonnet over said yoke with a bore coaxial with saidyoke bore, said combination comprising an external flange around saidbonnet concentric with the bore there in, a valve-actuating stem mountedfor rotary movement passing through said plate bore into said yoke bore,means to arrest vertical movement of said stem, a rotatable rod mountedfor axial movement above and spaced from said stem projecting throughsaid bonnet bore, interengagable means on the adjacent faces of saidstem and said rod, and spring means spacing said rod from said stem in alocked position, whereby applying a force against said spring meansinterengages said rod and said stem so that the turning of said rodimparts rotary motion to said stem, and a tool having a Wrench forengaging said rod, a catch member for slidably engaging said bonnetfiange and an arm for applying leverage against said spring means andfor turning said rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 212,486 2/1879 Morgan 137307893,184 7/1908 Mercer 251-77 XR 1,044,336 11/1912 Ballard 137-272 XR1,092,062 3/1914 Loney et a1. 251-292 XR 1,887,344 1/1932 Wise 251-292957,592 5/1910 Allen 251-266 990,989 5 1911 Knickerbacker 137-3051,172,959 2/1916 Dormon 137307 1,795,839 3/1931 Credle 251266 X2,829,538 4/1958 Mueller 25196 X 3,210,040 10/1965 Thurlow 25196CLARENCE R. GORDON, Primary Examiner.

R. GERARD, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

